How to Send Money to Facility

Families typically send money to fund the incarcerated person's trust account. That money covers commissary purchases, including phone minutes. It's often the simplest approach: instead of managing every individual call charge, you put funds in their account and let them handle the rest.

If you've been paying for calls through a Securus Advance Connect account, expect changes. IDOC is transitioning phone services from Securus to ICSolutions (starting as early as February 3, 2025). Your Advance Connect balance will not transfer automatically to ICSolutions, so you'll need to take an extra step after the switch to deal with any remaining funds. During the transition, IDOC expects a one- to two-day phone service interruption at each facility while systems switch over. Delays can stretch longer if something unexpected comes up, so plan for a short period when calls may not go through.

Steps to Follow

• ✓ Confirm the person’s identifying information the facility requires for deposits (name, IDOC number, and similar details).
• ✓ Send money to the incarcerated person’s trust account so they can purchase phone minutes through commissary.
• ✓ Keep your receipt or confirmation number, so you can track the deposit if there’s a delay.
• ✓ If you’re sending money specifically so they can call, ask whether there are any trust-account rules that affect commissary phone-minute purchases.

• ✓ Check whether your facility is in the group transitioning phone service from Securus to ICSolutions (the change can start as early as February 3, 2025).
• ✓ If you have a Securus Advance Connect balance, plan for it not to transfer automatically to ICSolutions.
• ✓ After the transition is complete, contact Securus at 1-800-844-6591 to ask about refund options for any remaining Advance Connect balance.

The biggest question during the vendor change: what happens to your existing Securus Advance Connect balance? According to IDOC's transition information, those funds will not transfer automatically to ICSolutions. Once the transition is complete, contact Securus directly at 1-800-844-6591 to ask about refunds for your remaining balance. If you have multiple accounts or funded more than one person, make sure you're asking about the specific Advance Connect balance tied to your login.

Before sending a deposit, verify the exact trust-account deposit process for this facility. Accepted methods and processing times vary. Also confirm how trust funds work on the inside, especially if your goal is phone time. Funding the trust account lets the person buy phone minutes through commissary, but phone service vendors can change, which affects how families pay on their end. If you're switching from paying through a family account to relying on the trust account, double-check that you're putting money in the right place. Trust account deposits enable commissary purchases (including phone minutes). Vendor account balances and refunds are handled separately through the phone company.